We had a fantastic day this week volunteering with the Surrey Hills Society, with our entire team getting out in the sunshine and planting 200 metres of new native hedgerow near the beautiful village of Shere.

The Surrey Hills Society is an independent charity promoting the positive enjoyment and care of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for those who live, work in, or visit the area. Working in partnership with landowners and farmers, the Society has been coordinating volunteers to assist with the planting of native hedgerow and trees, to increase connectivity and habitat in the Surrey Hills.

Reinstating ancient hedgerows and creating new ones by planting native species such as Hawthorne, Blackthorne and Hazel, is an excellent way to provide shelter belts that offer protection to crops and wildlife, reduce soil erosion, create new habitats and wildlife corridors for animals and birds, and promote biodiversity.

Our team of twenty people planted approximately 800 trees to create a 200-metre-long stretch of new native hedgerow in just over three hours, with many staff commenting on how great it felt to be planting plants for once, rather than excavating them!

It also felt fantastic to be out in the fresh air and the bright sunshine in beautiful surroundings, teambuilding and getting to know new staff members who have joined Environet more recently.

Thanks to the Surrey Hills Society for facilitating this day and teaching us so much about the impact of landscape connectivity and environmental restoration. We look forward to seeing our hedgerow grow over the next few years and hope it will benefit both people and nature in years to come!